Have you ever taken a trip to the mailbox only to find someone else’s letters in the pile? Throwing it away or opening it is a felony, but there is a way to get rid of it legally.

What should you do?

Simply write “return to sender” or “no longer at this address” on the envelope. Next, mark out any barcodes, and put it back into the mailbox.

It’ll then be labeled “undeliverable,” and it will be hand inspected.

Take a look at Business Insider's video below for a full breakdown.

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Passengers wait at a Delta check-in counter at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport domestic terminal on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, the first day of the Federal Aviation Administration cutting flight capacity at airports during the government shutdown. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com